


It only took a minute (for you to change my life forever)

by elloteenah



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Spin off to 60 Seconds with Charity and Vanessa, but we're talking about Charity here so it's okay, excessive use of the word 'babe'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:09:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22140823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elloteenah/pseuds/elloteenah
Summary: A somewhat spin-off to the 60 Seconds on set with Charity and Vanessa. Short stories about each other answer given. Just an excuse to write some fluff and drive into the part of their relationship we don't always see.
Relationships: Charity Dingle/Vanessa Woodfield
Comments: 9
Kudos: 102





	It only took a minute (for you to change my life forever)

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing something like this. I'm not great with writing present tense so it might shift between present and past but I can't see any myself but not a professional. This was just an exercise for something fun.
> 
> All takes place after they move into Jacobs Fold and somewhat focuses on the events of 2019 but I've been on and off writing this for so long, I'm not even sure myself. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**Messiest**

“Don’t come any further!” Vanessa says before Charity can even close the front door behind her. While Charity was at work, Vanessa took it upon herself to use her own day off to finally sort out the cupboards they had mindlessly thrown their combined belongings in together when they officially moved in. Between two toddlers, a teenager, the adult children, the grandchildren and the extended family visiting to see the house, and two full time jobs, neither women had the chance to properly to give everything a tidy up and place in the home. She currently had the contents of said cupboards covering the floor.

“Can I at least take my coat off?” Charity asks. “Did you have to empty everything to do this, really?”

“Yes, Charity! Sometimes you have to make a mess before you can tidy one up. Now, can you please go upstairs and take a shower or something before more people walk through my sortings?” she points over to Johnny and Moses who look like they’ve been ordered to sit on the sofa and not move or take their eyes off the telly until they’re told to. 

“Why didn’t you just put them in their room?” Charity replies, making her way to the stairs.

“Because then I can’t see them and together they would rip their room apart and I don’t need more mess than I’m already dealing with.”

“Well, you’d know where Johnny gets it from, babe,” Charity answers. 

“Now is not the time for jokes, Charity,” Vanessa says sternly. She breathes out. “Please. Or you’ll be making dinner tonight.”

“Not only are you messy but you can be an ‘alf bossy, an’ all.”

* * *

**Better Cook**

“Right, now, boys, you have to be honest, okay?” Charity announces to the room, carrying what could be their dinner to the table. “But remember who gave life to ya’, yeah?”

“Charity!” Vanessa exclaims, placing down the another bowl of what could be their dinner next to Charity’s. “This is not a competition. Just… her need to prove a point.”

After the disaster that was _Lasagnegate_ , and since they moved in together, Charity has been doing her best to prove herself to Vanessa, starting with cooking. 

“Don’t listen to her!” Charity turns to Ryan, his opinion more important to her than the others because she is still trying to even prove herself as a person to him. “How is it?” 

“It’s great but.. it tastes familiar,” Ryan says. 

“That’s because she used _Dolmio_ sauce. I saw her put it in the bin when Vanessa wasn’t looking,” Noah points over to it, shifting a laugh until he catches his mum throwing daggers at him.

“Noah!” Charity shouts. She hears Vanessa gasp and pull the offended jar from the bin. “Babe, it’s not what it looks like.” 

“I used my Gran’s old recipe and you cheated?” Vanessa laughs. 

“Of course you took a cooking class and had grandma’s own memorised, didn’t you, babes?” Charity shakes her head. “It’s not cheating. It’s a helping hand. I cooked the meat, boiled the spaghetti, they like it and they’re not dead. Face it, I’m the better cook.” 

The pride in her girlfriend’s face, Vanessa couldn’t fight it.

* * *

**Better Dressed**

“Charity, do you really need all these blazers in the same colour?” Vanessa asks, going through their wardrobe. 

“Yes,” Charity replies sternly. “Do you really need all those flowery patterned shirts?” 

“Hey!” Vanessa throws her a look. Charity is lucky she’s the one who’s sat on the bed or she knows it would have been a pillow. “At least my wardrobe is more colourful.” 

“Awful,” Charity is quickly to fire back. “What are you doing anyway?” 

“Sorting out your side and my side. We can maybe agree you’re better dressed but I am better organised,” Vanessa replies, starting to shift all her stuff to left, just like her side of the bed so her girlfriend doesn’t get confused. She pulls out one of her ‘flowery shirts’ and admires it for a moment—it holds a great memory before putting into the right place. “Do you like anything I wear?”

“Yeah,” Charity says, not looking up from her phone because already knows what Vanessa reaction will be, “when it’s nothing.” 

Vanessa rolls her eyes as predicated. 

“And yellow,” she finishes with a smile.

* * *

**Better Dancer**

“What the bloody hell is going on in here?” Charity asks as she walks into her girlfriend and _their_ toddlers dancing around the kitchen to a choon from the eighties. 

“The boys wanted a party so I’m introducing them to the original disco!” Vanessa says without breaking a beat in her own moves, while Moses and Johnny jump around, giggling, trying to match the blonde in her attempt at _Disco Inferno_ dance from _Saturday Night Fever_. 

“I don’t think you’re the best teacher for this, V,” Charity suggests, making her way over to them. For a second she’s glad Noah isn’t present so she can let her hair down and be herself around Vanessa and the kids without his witty remarks about embarrassing him. She makes the small mention to her girlfriend about how she’s the better dancer of the two, referring back to their night at the gay bar where it all got serious.

“It’s not your moves that won me over, Charity.”

Vanessa bursts into laughter as Charity shimmies over to her and doesn’t stop when she gets there.

“Are you so sure about that, babe?” she smirks.

* * *

**Most Laidback**

“Babe!” Charity shrieks, her voice coming out breathless. She has just ran towards the door, Usain Bolt style and now has her entire body weight pressed against it after all, denying her very confused looking girlfriend entry. “What you doing home early?”

“I’m not?” Vanessa cocks an eyebrow. She had left the boys in the trusting care of Charity for the day. Her heart beat a little faster thinking she had such a good day with them time had run away with them, but she couldn’t right now. When she came home, she could hear the giggles of their kids and dropped her bag right away to see what was causing it. “What’s going on, Charity?”

“Ba—!” Charity couldn’t even finish before the tiny blonde pushes past her to see Johnny and Moses wearing the her and Charity’s clothes, particularly Moses who is dragging his little feet across the foot in his own mother’s heels best he could. Johnny wearing one of her oversized yellow jumpers. 

“Mummy, look! I’m you!” Johnny shouts, holding his arms up and giggling. 

Charity still at the door, back pressed against it, with a face of horror catches Vanessa’s face for the first time. She expects her girlfriend to go into one about how their bedroom isn’t a playroom. Instead she gets her phone out and fumbling for the camera app before the moment is over, she urges Moses to get into the picture. “Wait.. you’re not mad?”

“Why would I be mad? They’re kids. I knew this day would come. Look at them, they love it!” Vanessa puts her arm around Charity and pulls her into her side. 

Truth be told, Charity had caught them and didn’t have the heart to stop them. She had heard the stories of kids who put their parents clothes on when they weren’t looking. Noah had never done it on his own or with Samson when they were little, she began to think it was just girls who did. She never as child because if her Dad so much caught her in his room, it was discipline. She realised she was never able to express herself as a youngster. Over the years, she knew she didn’t want the same for her own children. Today shows her Vanessa supports it as much as she does, but was she to expect any less of the woman? Vanessa is much more laid back than Charity has ever been but she’s getting there, too. She’s learning from her own parents mistakes.

* * *

**Bossiest**

“Why are you so bossy with them?” Charity asks, watching Moses and Johnny run excitedly up the stairs to the bathroom. 

“Charity, I told them to go do their teeth or there’ll be no bedtime story, how is that bossy?” Vanessa laughs as she walks towards her girlfriend, holds her face between her hands before kissing her gently. “It’s just parental blackmail, really.”

“I tell Noah to take them to the park for at least two hours and end up getting conned out of a tenner,” Charity points out. Admittedly, she does it at least every other Saturday but she has her reasons. 

“That’s because he’s a teenager and he’s not stupid, he knows what you’re after and might as well as get paid while doing it,” Vanessa raises her eyebrow at Charity, who starts to push the smaller blonde towards the stairs, knowing the kids have been waiting for a while know, and are going to get impatient soon and Charity has plans. “One of these days, you’re going to scar the poor boy and I’ll be to blame for it ‘cause you can’t even keep our personal business personal to your own kids.”

“Can’t help myself, babe, can I?” Charity squeezes Vanessa’s hips as they head up towards the bathroom where the toddlers are trying to reach for their toothbrushes. “So how about this: you get the kids sorted and sleep within ten minutes and I’ll be waiting in the bedroom, yeah?”

Vanessa rolls her eyes. “See, this is why you’re really the bossy one.”

* * *

**Loudest**

“Charity!” Vanessa hisses, quickly putting her hands out to catch herself before her body crashed into the wooden stairs. “Shh!”

She had been taken by surprise when she started heading upstairs and Charity had come up behind her and smacked her backside with such force, she fell forward. 

Charity giggles into her neck before kissing her there for good measure. She then tries grabbing her hips to help her back up but she was too amused by her own actions and if she could take Vanessa on the stairs right now, she would. 

Vanessa’s ass in her jeans right now is to blame. She looks good, Charity had to take full advantage what was in front of her. She wasn’t expecting her to fall over but she took it in her advantage. 

“Gorgeous, when I said we should go upstairs, this isn’t _quite_ what I meant,” Vanessa says quietly, trying not to melt into the taller blonde’s touch. 

“Sure, babes,” she laughs out loud. “I love it when you compliment me, really gets me going.” 

Vanessa turns to cover her mouth. “Charity, I swear to God, if you wake them kids, you’ll get nothing.”

Charity’s face turns sour. “Oh, babes. Don’t talk about the kids. Real turn off.”

“Good!” Vanessa whispers harshly. 

Charity surrenders and lets her go long enough she can stand and they can actually make their way to the bedroom. 

Vanessa may be a little stroppy over the idea the kids could wake up from her clumsiness but she still holds Charity’s hand until they’re inside. 

“Can I be real with you, babe?” Charity smirks and Vanessa nods. She wraps her arms around her waist and pulls her in close before leaning into her ear. “Don’t think it’s me who has to worry about being _loud_.”

Vanessa holds back a laugh while wrapping her arms around her future wife’s neck. “You wanna bet?”

* * *

**Most Sensitive**

“Are you crying?” Charity asks as she walks down the stairs, she could hear the faint sound of sobs before she took the first step. 

“Y-yes,” Vanessa didn’t even try and deny it. She had Johnny and Moses each tucked under an arm, they had looked at her strangely when they heard the first of her cries, too young to understand the film plot of _Inside Out_.

“Babe, it’s a _Disney_ film,” Charity says, joining them at the couch where she runs a caring hand through each confused-looking boys’ hair before patting her girlfriend’s own in a sarcastic manner. “I’m sure it’s not that sad.”

“But it is!” Vanessa exclaims, reaching over to the coffee table to retrieve a tissue. “Bing Bong gave up his own life for Joy so she could help Riley. It just makes me so sad. He was her best friend and she’s forgotten about him.”

“Okay, babe,” Charity leans down to kiss Vanessa’s head in the hope it stops her cries. It’s only rated PG, how sad can it be? Charity didn’t think Disney still made films like _Bambi_ because it’s too much for kids. “I think you’re just being oversensitive.” 

“Oh, yeah?” Vanessa looks at her shocked girlfriend. “I’m going to make you watch this later without the kids and we’ll see.”

* * *

**Cleverest**

The boys had taken longer to settle than usual. They were adamant they needed two stories before bedtime. One for Johnny and one for Moses, each of their choices. It was a battle between a tantrum that neither Charity or Vanessa could handle at the end of busy week, or give in. They gave in but luck was on their side and both kids had crashed out before they even got through the second book.

Charity feels they deserve a glass or two after it all. 

As usual, they settle in front of the TV, both letting out a long sigh of relief that the madness was over. 

They turn it on to catch a new contestant starting on _Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?_

“Come on, then, babe,” Charity says, tucking the remote down the side of sofa so Vanessa couldn’t reach and possibly turn it over, before leaning into her awaiting open arms. “Let’s see how far we get.”

Vanessa scoffs. “You know this game isn’t all about knowledge? Sometimes it’s just process of illumination or luck of the draw.”

“Alright, smartypants. We’ll see.” 

As the show progresses, Vanessa sees, once again, how much Charity puts herself down. She was doing miles better than her. Of course the odd question neither of them had a clue but now the contestant was playing for some serious money and Charity was doing just as well. 

“Ooo, Ness. You should know this one!” Charity nudges her. “What type of creature is a.. marlin? I thought that said Marlon at first. In which case, it’s C. Fish. A wet one at that. Final answer.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes before she pushes on the taller blonde’s arm but still, there’s a glimmer in her eye. “Don’t be mean.”

“You think because you’re a vet you’re smarter than me? I could be right you know.”

“We’ll see.”

Then the answer was revealed and Vanessa wasn’t expecting Charity to squeal and clap her hands together before shaking any life Vanessa has left in her for the day. 

“I got it right!” she laughs. “You knew it, though, didn’t you?”

Vanessa nods.

“See, smartypants, but the question was in your favour, let’s be honest,” she quirks her eyebrow.

Vanessa just smiles. “And you got luck of the draw.”

“Or you could just admit I could do your job, babe.”

* * *

**Most Selfish**

“Charity, you can’t always have things the way you want!” 

“You think I don’t know that, babe?” she sighs.

She stops pacing up and down the living room and drops her arms on the couch, letting out a deep sigh. Vanessa walks over to her and rubs her shoulders, trying to calm Charity down.

“I just.. I just thought he would understand, you know?” 

“I know but we had him last year, remember?”

“Hardly!” Charity protests. “Sarah was in hospital, Debbie borderline hated my guts and Moses didn’t even—or anyone for that matter—know Ryan even existed! I just want to give him a good day and Ryan to be there.”

Charity had been arguing with Ross over the phone just moments ago. It is his year to have their child for his birthday but Charity had made plans for a big birthday bash with all the family without consulting him first, hoping he would understand given the circumstances. She had even invited him, Rebecca and Seb to join them but Ross being Ross, in her eyes, had already planned a little family holiday for Moses’ birthday and Charity has no say in it.

Now she is trying to not get herself worked up, see his side but she couldn’t because she wants her family together to celebrate her youngest’s birthday with the son she never knew survived until last year. Is it too much too ask? 

“We can still throw a party. Just not on his actual birthday, yeah?” Vanessa rubs her arm.

“It’s not the same though, is it?” Charity shakes her head. “I’m not being selfish, am I?”

Vanessa sighs. “Maybe a little bit? But, we can—Charity!”

The taller didn’t want to hear it. Give her ten minutes and she’ll know Vanessa, as always the sensible one, was just trying to help but right now, she couldn’t handle it. She runs upstairs, not even stopping at the sound of Vanessa’s plea. 

She just wants her boys together, Johnny included, for the first time in her life and if that makes her selfish, then so be it but she really couldn’t see it.

* * *

**Most Romantic**

Being alone has never been a problem for Vanessa, having never married she had gotten use to it in her adulthood. That was until she moved in with Charity. Of course there is added responsibility getting two toddlers ready for bed oppose to one when the other blonde is working the night shift but parenthood came naturally to her. However, going to bed alone nowadays hasn’t. Most nights Vanessa fights sleep until she is home. Sometimes Charity finds her out on the couch, other times she walks into that bright smile beaming at her, making her heart skip a beat. 

Tonight is different. Charity walks in to see a make-shift fort made up of the dining room chairs pitched opposite the television, the couch and spare sheets, she can make out Vanessa’s shadow beneath it. “What’s this?”

“Johnny and Moses wanted to make a tent and I was feeling creative,” Vanessa says, proud of her creation. “Do you know what day is it?” 

“A Wednesday?” 

“Yes,” Vanessa nods, patting the space next to her for Charity to join. Inside Vanessa had taken some time to put up fairy lights and rearrange the pillows against the front of the sofa so they could watch the TV more comfortably, “and it’s also a year to the day you admitted you care about me, that’s a cause for celebration.”

Charity’s eyes widen. “Babe, I had no idea we were meant to be—“

Vanessa shakes her head, silencing her girlfriend. “I never told you, I wanted it to be a surprise. So, I brought us some snacks—hiding them from the kids were a challenge in itself; thought you could pick the film,” Vanessa smiles at her. “And, I made you a coffee to make up for the one I never got with you then.” 

There are days Charity doesn’t think she could love Vanessa more and then she surprises her with the little things that show she truly cares for her and there’s no bad intention behind any of it and it proves she can, and now she gets to spend everyday (hopefully for the rest of her life) with the incredible woman. But she’s too overcome with emotion to express any of it right now to the girl in front of her so instead reverts to her usual tricks. “I don’t need caffeine to rock your world, babe,” 

Vanessa rolls her eyes while the widest grin never leaves her face. “Such a way with words, you.”

“This is why you’re the most romantic one.”

* * *

**Funniest**

“Honey, I’m home!” Charity shrikes, laughing to herself, as she tries to make her way through the door and into the threshold, holding at least four bags on each arm after a long day of unnecessary shopping. “I’m so funny, me.” 

“Hmm,” Vanessa says, drying her hands with a towel as she walks through the kitchen to meet her girlfriend in the living room. Her eyes widening when she saw how overboard the blonde has got for what was meant to be a ‘few bits’. “Charity! What on Earth did you get?”

“Something for you! Have a look in the blue bag,” Charity points it out before joining Vanessa in opening it. 

Inside is a plaque that reads: Ladies Lounge - Wild Women with Wine Where the Gossip is Always Hot, Champagne and Chocolates Always Welcome and No Men Allowed. 

Vanessa rolls her eyes before she looks at Charity, shaking her head while there’s a smile on her face. “You think you’re so funny, don’t you?”

“Hilarious,” Charity chuckles. “I think it’d look great out back, put it on the wall, make it clear I only ever want Moses, Noah, Ryan, Jack and Johnny here… maybe Frank once in a while.”

* * *

**Best Kisser**

“My mummy is the best!” 

“No, my mummy is the best!” 

Moses and Johnny have been arguing, while sat on their respected mothers’ lap, for over twenty minutes about who is better. For the first sixty seconds, Charity was in shock at her own son’s declaration. Admittedly, she wasn’t the most affectionate to her children but being around Vanessa and her offspring has given her a new outlook and deeper love for her own. 

“Okay, boys, I think it’s time me and Mummy started dinner.” Vanessa says, trying to remove Johnny from her neck. A faint ‘finally’ comes from Noah who is sitting on the floor trying to listen to the TV. 

“I think I agree with Johnny,” Charity says as they make it into the kitchen. 

Vanessa turns to her girlfriend, a look of confusion on her face. She crosses her arms over her chest. “What makes you think that?”

Charity puts her hands on Vanessa hips before she leans in to brush their lips together. “‘Cause I can’t seem to get enough, either.”

* * *

**Most Jealous**

“I think you’ve had enough, Charity,” Vanessa says for the millionth time tonight since she had to pull her girlfriend away from the pub. During the short walk between The Woolpack and their new home, Charity has been begging Vanessa to take them back for just one more. “One more and you’ll tell that man what you really think.”

“You’re _mine_ ,” Charity whines. She doesn’t mean it aggressively. The way a man was eyeing up her girlfriend tonight, her over-protectiveness overcame her and she couldn’t control her mouth maybe once or twice after one too many but she was nowhere near as ruthless she could have been. 

“I’m not jealous, I promise,” Charity hiccups. “Well, maybe sometimes but like, over your animal friends ‘cause they probably love you, too like I do… and… envelopes.”

“Envelopes?”

“Hmm,” Charity hums, her head falls on Vanessa’s shoulder to steady herself while she waits for the smaller blonde to open the door. “I’ve seen the way you lick them. Makes me mad.”

“Jesus Christ. I think you need to sleep this off. You don’t even know what you’re saying,” Vanessa says as she pulls Charity up the stairs and into their room. She pulls back the quilt and lays her girlfriend down. 

“I _do_. Johnny,” Charity mumbles.

“Did you just call me Johnny?” 

“No, I’m jealous of him.”

“You’re jealous of my three year old son?”

“Yeah,” Charity yawns. “‘Cause… ‘cause he’s got to spend everyday of his life with you.”

“Okay,” Vanessa whispers, tucking Charity into their bed. She pushes her onto her side, moves any fallen hair out of her face then pulls the sheets up over her body before kissing her forehead. Charity’s eyes suddenly heavy with sleep. “But you can spend the rest of yours with me, too.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Also working on a multi-chapter but it's a bigger goal than expected. I have a bunch of stories of these two on a different website that I may end up uploading here. Not sure yet.


End file.
